Happy Tasty Treat Tuesday, and Happy 4th of July! Here are some quick and easy last-minute treats you can make for your weekend of celebrating. And it’s never too early to get back in the swing of tailgating! We are putting this out on Tuesday so you have time to buy the supplies and make the treats before full relax mode on Friday!
Also, it is never too early to start working on your tailgate recipes. We only have to survive SEVEN more weeks without college football. We have put together some tasty Summer staples and red, white, and blue treats. Also, here is the link to the bacon-wrapped recipes from a few seasons ago, because bacon pairs well with almost everything. ENJOY!
Tasty Tailgate Treats: July 4th Edition
Poolside Popsicle Spritzers
These can be modified to MOCKtails for kiddos. Use Sprite or Ginger Ale with their favorite fruity store-bought popsicle. You could also make life super easy on yourself and use store-bought fruit bars and add your favorite mixers and alcohol to a glass!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup mango juice or nectar
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 lime, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 (750-mL) bottle sparkling white, rosé, or orange wine
- Club soda, for serving
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, stir pineapple juice, mango juice, and vodka.
- Place 1 to 2 lime slices into 6 (4-oz.) pop molds.
- Carefully fill each mold with the pineapple juice mixture. Cover and insert sticks. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Pour 4 oz. sparkling wine into 6 wine glasses. Top with a splash of club soda.
- Place a popsicle into a glass and serve immediately.
Mason Jar Cocktails
The perfect way to serve individual cocktails this 4th of July. The best part is that they can be spiked or non-spiked.
Screwdriver:
6 oz Orange Juice
2 oz Vodka
Tiki Fruity Punch:
3 oz Fruit punch (I used the “Aloha” kind)
3 oz orange juice
2 oz rum
Blue Lagoon:
1.5 oz Blue Curaco
Lemonade
Cherry
Half and Half:
Half a glass of iced tea
Half a glass of lemonade
Serve them in a tub of ice for your guests to grab and enjoy.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels (about 8 ounces)
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Filling:
- 2 cups whipped topping
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
Topping:
- 2 packages (3 ounces each) of strawberry gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
- Optional: Additional whipped topping and pretzels
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine the pretzels, butter, and sugar. Press into an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- For filling, in a small bowl, beat whipped topping, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth. Spread over pretzel crust. Refrigerate until chilled.
- For topping, dissolve gelatin in boiling water in a large bowl. Stir in sweetened strawberries; refrigerate until partially set. Carefully spoon over filling. Refrigerate until firm, 4-6 hours. Cut into squares. Serve with additional whipped topping and pretzels if desired.
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes Flag
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
- 1 box cake mix of your choice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 3 eggs
Toppings:
- 1 1/2 cups frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping
- 1 1/2 cups sliced small strawberries
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Directions:
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Heat oven to 350°F. Place a paper baking cup in each of the 80 miniature muffin cups.
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In a large bowl, beat Cupcake ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling about three-fourths full.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pans to a cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
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Before serving, spread about 1 teaspoon of whipped topping on each cupcake. Arrange 70 cupcakes on a tray as shown in the photo. Place blueberries and strawberries on cupcakes to make a stars and stripes pattern as shown in the photo. Serve the remaining cupcakes on another plate. Store in the refrigerator.
Broccoli-Bacon Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets (5 cups)
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/4 cup sunflower nuts
- 6 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
Directions:
- Mix mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl. Stir in broccoli and onion.
- Toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to blend flavors.
- Sprinkle with nuts and bacon before serving.
Recipe Tip: This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day. Try making it the night before and top it with nuts and bacon just before serving.
Recipe Tip: These types of salads usually benefit from a sweet component. Toss in raisins or dried cranberries for a different spin.
Whiskey and Beer BBQ Chicken Sliders
Ingredients:
Sauce:
- 1 cup barbecue sauce of choice
- 1 1/2cups lager beer, such as a pilsner
- 2 tablespoons whiskey
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic-pepper blend
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Frank’s™ RedHot™ Buffalo Wings Sauce
Sandwiches:
- 1 deli rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, shredded (about 4 cups)
- 12 slider buns, split
Directions:
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In a 2-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
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In a medium microwavable bowl, place chicken; cover. Microwave on High for 4 to 5 minutes or until hot. Add shredded chicken to the sauce in a saucepan, and stir to coat.
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Place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on the bottom of each slider bun; top with the bun top.
On The Menu
Once we get through the 4th of July holiday, we will be SIX weeks away from the start of the college football season. Recaps coming from previous seasons. We want to make sure that you have all your favorite recipes from the past several seasons all in one spot, and easy to find. We will be sure to give you a whole new batch of tasty tailgate treats for the 2025 season. Y’all enjoy the 4th. Be safe!
